Winter
by Ameko
Summary: another Raine fic. . .I'm so predictable, aren't I? Laguna comes back...not in the way you might think, though


Winter

Winter had fallen over Winhill. Sharp winds blew down from the mountains each day, and the big old houses were getting harder and harder to heat. Raine was glad that she only occupied the few small rooms above her bar, which had a relatively new heating system and weren't as damn freezing as the rest of the house. 

She wasn't worried for her as much as Ellone. She'd spent her whole life here in Winhill, and would be surviving more winters after this one. However, the little girl she'd adopted had come from a roughly warm area of the world, and her body probably wouldn't be adjusted to this kind of weather yet. 

Raine built up the fire in the main room, thanking whatever deities had seen fit to send snow today. She just didn't feel up to opening the bar. For the past two months, she'd felt a little odd. Not sure if it was just the weather, she didn't go to the town doctor, knowing that it was nothing serious than a slight dose of heartache. She missed Laguna, that was what it was.

Laguna'd been gone for just under two months now. He'd said something about wanting to go visit his mom, or friend, or whatever. Every time she'd asked him to clarify, he'd given her a short answer that was more mumble than words. Not once had he given a full sentence about his plans. 

Hearing pounding footsteps on the stairs, she smiled indulgently and turned around. Ellone was stampeding down them sounding for the world like a herd of elephants. 

"Raine, Raine!" She shrieked. "Santa's coming!" 

Laughing, Raine picked the girl up. "That's right. Santa's coming tonight."

"I'm gonna get my puppy!" the little girl shouted. 

Smiling, Raine thought about the small creature hidden away in her bedroom closet, waiting for the right time to be brought out. 

"What do yoo want from Santa, Raine?" Ellone asked. 

"Oh, I don't know...I'll be happy with whatever he brings me." She said with a sad smile, knowing that Ellone wouldn't notice. The only thing she wanted was out of her reach. 

They passed the day together, making Christmas cookies and decorating the tree. Raine hung up stockings and thought, I wish Laguna was here. Families are supposed to hang up stockings together. Then she chided herself for her thoughts. He's not a part of this family. I wish he was, and so does Ellone, but that doesn't make him part of it...

She was startled out of her thoughts by a light tug on the edge of her pale yellow sweater. 

"Raine?" Ellone asked quietly, looking up at the older girl with big brown eyes. "When will Uncle Laguna come back?"

"I don't know." Raine said, kneeling down to the little girl's height and hugging her. "Soon, I hope." 

They ate a quiet dinner, Ellone's relentless chatter subdued for once. The day seemed to wear on forever. Raine wasn't anxious to go to bed, knowing when she woke up she'd be sick again, but it wasn't like there was anything else to do. 

Together, the girls put the finishing touches on the tree, and Raine put Ellone's pajamas on her in front of the fire. She wrapped her in a blanket and picked her up to carry her to bed, and then there was a loud noise.

It was so rare that Raine got visitors, even rarer on a holiday, especially Christmas Eve, that she didn't recognize the knock for what it was at first. But then she ran to the door, followed by Ellone who was still wriggling out of her blanket; both of them knew that only one person would be at their door Christmas Eve. 

They opened the door to see a person in a too-large snow covered coat. A scarf was wrapped around their face concealing it from sight, and then he pulled off the scarf and shook off the coat, and it was Laguna standing there, picking up Ellone and then wrapping his arms around Raine.

"I'm back." He said simply, his arms full of brown-haired girls and presents. He rested his chin in Raine's hair and she held him tightly. 

"I missed you." She whispered. His only reply was to squeeze her just a little bit tighter. She didn't mind. 

Finally, they realized that it was just above fifteen degrees outside and none of them were wearing coats anymore. Ellone's lips were blue and Raine pulled the other two inside and dragged the little girl over to the fire, followed closely by Laguna. She turned around and there he was behind her, a serious look on his face. Now that's a good oxymoron, she thought jokingly. Laguna serious. 

All thoughts of jokes fled out of her mind during the next few minutes, though. Laguna winked at Ellone and took both Raine's small hands in his larger ones. 

"It took me forever to find these." He said. "That's why I was gone so long. I'm sorry 'bout that, I tried to be back sooner." He scratched his head, a gesture typical of him, and then got down on one knee. 

Raine's hand flew to her mouth. Oh, was he serious? Was this what she thought it was?

"Raine, you know I love you, and I can't think of anything I'd like better than to live here with you'n Elle. You two are my family. Will you marry me?"

She was crying, a little, but not hard enough that she couldn't nod her head very rapidly. His handsome face broke into a grin and he stood up and hugged her tightly, slipping a slender gold band onto her finger as he did. Ellone was jumping around in the background, screeching happily. She'd wanted them together from day one. 

"There's not just the three of us in the family, though." She whispered into his ear and watched his eyes widen. It hit him as she moved his hand to her stomach. 

He grinned. "Me 'n you 'n Elle and the little baby are gonna live happily ever after." He said. 

"Baby? What baby?" Ellone said. Laguna got the job of explaining it to her as Raine went to go get him some food. 

Well, she'd gotten her Christmas wish. Maybe there was some hope for winter after all. 


End file.
